The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-06
PREPARING FOR MORE WORK
Cornerstone Ceremonies of the New
Catholic Chapel on the South Side.
The Enterprising Undertaking of the Sis
tiers of the Good Shepherd in Erecting
Building to Cost $4,000.

More than two thousand persons witnessed
the laying of the cornerstone of the chapel to
the Home of the Good Shepherd. south of the
city. yesterday afternoon. Double that number
would doubtless have been present had the
weather not been so threatening. AT o'clock,
one hour later than the appointed Tine, the pro-
cession of Catholic organizations began to form
near st. Johns Church. In the line the
Emerald Band; the Emmett Guards. command
ed by Captain Kellener; Rice Guards. COM
manded by Lieutenant Draper; knights of
Father Matthew, commanded by Councilman
Mackey; Knights of st. George. commanded by
Captain Cox; st. Stanlslaus Cadets, commanded
by John Breen; ST. Johns Total Abstinence So
cietv; St Patrick's Literary Society; ST Jo-
seph's Union, and clergymen and citizens
in carriages. In all there
one thousand persons in line when the process
sion moved down Meridian street. The clouds
cleared away and the sun coming out made the
march pleasant one. s:
A thousand persons that had gone on before
awaited the procession at the Home. The in
closure where the building is being erected was
not sufficiently large to accommodate all who
came, and many were compelled to remain in
the street A handsomely decorated speakers
stand had been erected near the northwest
of the building, which was occupied by Rt.
Rev. Bessonies and Fathers Alerding and
Francis
Father Bessonies had charge of the exercises,
and after speaking few words of commenda-
ton of the sisters who had undertaken the
work, gave way TO Father Alerding The lay
ing of another corner stone. he said called to
mind the hundreds and thousands of charitable
institutions al over the country that had
been erected by the Catholic Church. The
land was dotted from one end to the other with
the institutions erected by Catholics. When
ever another stone was lain il showed that the
Catholic Church had lost none of its generous
spirit. The church had always been known for
its generous. charitable disposition to help along
the poorer and weaker of mankind. Such me-
MORALS the one about to be erected were not
like memorials of granite or shafts of marble,
but it is an institution that, after being reared,
will stand for ages a living monument to the good
deeds of the Catholics of Indianapolis. Many
people wonder how it is that SO many Catholic
institutions are reared all over the land. 1t is
done by people who working not for pay,
but have given willingly and cheerfully all they
have to the work. In the acts of such people lies
the key to the success OF Catholic institutions.
To provide homes for the MANNED, crippled
and poverty stricken is a noble charity, but
there are diseases that are not of the physical
nature. and they more farreaching in their
effects These the diseases of the human
soul Those people, who have become slaves to
their appetites, are truly to be sympathlzed
with d much as the man upon his clutches. To
take them in and put them on the right road is
by far the noblest charity. Such is the pur-
pose of the building to be erected
Father Francis followed with a lengthy
mon. He spoke in German. He had for his
text the passage: "Uniess the Lord builds the
home. they labor in vain who build it, The
home, he said, to be erected by the Sisters
of the Good Shepherd, and when completed will
be a grand monument to their faithful
labors. At the close of his the
church. In the stone placed sealed tin
box, con tanning slip of paper on which were
the names, Pope Leo XIII, Bishop Francis
Silas Chatard, Grover Cleveland, Isaac P. Gray
and Father Bessonies in addition to which there
WAS . history of the home. and all the daily
papers Of this city. Father Bessonies rolled the
stone to it's place, and after sprinkline it with
holy water the ceremonies were at an end.
The building to be erected is to cost in the
neighborhood of $50 600. It is 40x48 feet with
two wings extending to the east One of these
is 40x40-the other 20x50, the larger wing is to
be used the chapel. and the remainder of the
building for the order of Mary Magdalene. The
idea of the addition origin ated with the sisters
of the home less than a year ago. They had
reasons for desiring to build it. First, many of
the penitents who have been in the home for
several years have expressed desire to become
sisters. Under the rules of the church they
never become such. In order that they may
become of service to the church the order of
Mary Magdaene has been organized The old
building is too small to accommodate them and
they will be given the right wing of the new
structure The second reason for making the
undertaking is that during the last year many
applications have been made for the admission
Of children. They have all been refused,
but they will be given the upper sto-
ries in the new building. The sisters
had 81. 900 on hand when they concluded to erect
the building. They doubted their ability to
ever be able to raise funds for its completion,
and wrote to Bishop Chatard to know what they
should.do. He told them go ahead with the
work. and he would see that the church assisted
them. Liberal contributions have since come
in, and nearly onefourth of the necessary
amount is now pledged. The building will not
oe completed this year, but it is the intention to
get the chapel ready for use, if possible